


P.S. You're Weird

by sad_goomy



Series: Lonashipping Week 2018 [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, I'm trying, Long-Distance Friendship, Pen Pals, Promises, Time Skips, aka sad_goomy doesn't know how children write, this was such a pain to format ngl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:20:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15605163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sad_goomy/pseuds/sad_goomy
Summary: He's seven (and a half) when he gets assigned a random pen pal, and though he does his best to keep in contact with her as the years pass, there are things beyond Gladion's control that force him to lose touch.It's not like he was ever going to meet her anyway...





	P.S. You're Weird

 

Gladion sits impatiently in class, watching as his teacher passes out letters from Kanto at random to the other children, tsking them when they try to trade. 

"Now remember," she lectures, finishing another row of students and finally getting to the back of the room where Gladion sits, "Your pen pal is your friend, and we treat our friends well! I'll be reading over your letters before I send them, so make sure you put your best foot forward." 

As she goes down the row of desks, her words echo in his mind, one in particular ringing louder than the rest –  _friend._  He's only in second grade, but the boy is still well aware that he isn't the most social kid in the class. If he were honest, he can probably count his friends on one hand, and even then, he's being generous. It's not that he doesn't like the kids in his class, but he's quiet, and it's hard to make friends with kids who have family ties that go back generations. 

Maybe this is his chance to finally make a friend without feeling like the new kid. 

When his teacher hands him an envelope, a thrill runs through him. There was something exciting about tearing open the envelope, carefully pulling out the short letter inside and unfolding it to read.

  

* * *

 

 _Dear Pen Pal,_  

 _My name's Moon! I'm 6_ _, how old are you? I live in Kanto, and_ _it's_ _snowing right now. Does it snow where you are? I like when it snows, because my mom makes the best hot cocoa in the world and sometimes we can stay home from school because it snows too much._  

 _When I grow up, I'm going to be Kanto's Champion! My brother says I won't, but he's stupid. His name is Sun and he's ugly and dumb. Do you have a brother?_  

 _Bye for now!_  

 _Moon_  

_P.S. I hate broccoli so if you like broccoli DON'T BE MY PEN PAL >:(_

 

* * *

 

He laughs a little as he reads, and when the boy sitting next to him asks if he can switch pen pals - "Mine's a total  _nerd_!" - Gladion clutches the letter to his chest on instinct, slowly shaking his head. 

And though he has the rest of the week to come up with a response, he decides to write his letter that very night. 

 

* * *

 

 _Dear Moon,_  

 _My name's_ _Gladion_ _and I'm 7 and a half. I live in_ _Alola_ _, and it doesn't snow, except on Mount_ ~~_Lanakee_ ~~ _Lanakila_ _where it snows all the time. It rains a lot though and sometimes we can stay home from school because there's a big storm. Kanto looks cool, what do you do for fun there?_  

 _I don't know what I'm_ _gonna_ _be when I grow up, but I want to help_ _Pokémon_ _like my mom and dad. I think you can be Kanto's Champion, but only if you practice a lot and work really hard. I don’t have a brother. I have a sister named Lillie, but she's 4 so I can't play with her a lot_ _because_ _she cries_ _._  

 _Sincerely,_  

 _Gladion_  

_P.S. I like broccoli >:)_

 

* * *

 

It takes about two weeks to get a response. He waits impatiently, and in spite of himself ends up asking his teacher every morning if their pen pals have written back yet. Each time she simply smiles and tells him, "It takes a few days for the mail to travel from Alola to Kanto. I'm sure your pen pal is just about to send you their letter!" 

Then the day finally arrives when he walks into the classroom and his teacher greets him with a smile. "Good morning, Gladion. I have some exciting news." 

She holds up a pile of envelopes and his mouth falls open before he bounces over and practically vibrates with anticipation as she goes through the stack and finds the one with his name on it. As the other students file in and wait to receive their pen pal responses, Gladion rushes back to his desk and tears open the envelope, reading with a smile and wondering if Moon is going to answer all his questions just like he answered hers. 

 

* * *

 

 _Dear_ _Gladion_ _,_  

 _Wow you're so old! My mom is from_ _Alola_ _, and she showed me a bunch of pictures. It's so pretty there, and your_ _Meowth_ _are purple. Purple is my favorite color, what's yours? Kanto is a fun place to live! I live in Saffron City, so there is lots of stuff to do, but I'm learning to skateboard with my brother. I'm not very good so I fall_ _a lot_ _but it's fun!_  

 _What do your mom and dad do? I think it's really nice that you want to help_ _Pokémon_ _. You should be a nurse at the PMC, they help them all the time and they always smile. Maybe when Lillie grows up she won't cry so much and you can play with her more!_  

 _Sincerely,_  

 _Moon_  

 _P.S. You're weird but it's okay we can still be friends_  

 

* * *

 

He starts his next letter in class, unable to wait until he gets home, and he has the wonderful feeling that Moon is going to be one of his best friends. 

 

* * *

 

The end of the school year approaches, and while Gladion is just as happy as his classmates for summer break, there's a strange feeling in his chest when his teacher mentions the end of their pen pal assignment. 

"We'll be writing your last few letters this month," she tells the class as they pack up, the bell ringing to end another school day. "Be sure to wish your pen pal a good summer!" 

While the other kids run out, laughing and smiling as they make their way to the pick-up area, Gladion walks slowly with a frown, thinking. He has a decent stack of letters from Moon in his room at home – he saves every single one that she sends – along with a few photos that she's attached. Still, it feels like he barely knows the girl, like he still has so many questions for her. He knows her favorite color and food, and that she really likes Poison types, but what about which starter she's going to pick? Or if she's ever going to learn how to skateboard? 

Gladion decides that he has several very important questions to ask, and he has the very serious task of making sure he doesn't lose his pen pal. 

 

* * *

 

 _Dear Moon,_  

 _I got the best score on the type matchup quiz, but I forgot that Ice beats Ground. I'm mad, but Ilima got that one wrong too and he's smart, so that makes me feel better. Which Pok_ _é_ _mon did you do your art project on?_  

 _My teacher says this is the last letter we have to write and that makes me sort of sad. I want to keep writing to you, is that okay? My mom says she can write down our address and we can keep sending letters. I want to know which_ _Pokémon_ _you'll choose as a starter, and I like seeing the photos you take of your_ _Meowth_ _._  

 _Sincerely,_  

 _Gladion_  

 

* * *

 

 _Dear_ _Gladion_ _,_  

 _Wow, you're really smart! I forget that Ice beats Ground too, so don't worry. I did_ _Vulpix_ _, so I made one out of clay and painted it. Here's a photo of it. Sun drew a_ _Gengar_ _for his project, but it looks kind of weird. But then I tried to draw one and it looked even worse!_  

 _I want to keep writing too!! You have to tell me more about_ _Aether_ _Paradise. You need to take a photo of a_ _Mareanie_ _and send it to me because you promised, remember? If you promise to write me back all the time, then I can send you my address too, and then I can find out what you decide to be when you grow up._  

 _Sincerely,_  

 _Moon_  

 

* * *

 

He smiles as he reads the letter in his bed, the warm and fuzzy feeling accompanying him as he jumps up and rushes to find his mother and get the address as quick as possible. 

 

* * *

 

The next few years, her stack of letters grows until he has to keep them in a box under his bed, and not a day goes by that he doesn't check the mailbox. Even as he grows older, he keeps writing, and she always responds, never failing to bring a smile to his face. 

 

* * *

 

 _Dear Moon,_  

 _Happy Birthday! Being 7 is really fun, but I can't wait to be 8 soon. I'm sad I can't go to your birthday party, but Kanto is so far away. My dad showed me on a map. I want to visit Kanto_ _someday_ _, and then I can see you._  

 _Mom took a photo of me and Lillie and our_ _Clefairy_ _. She's a really nice_ _Pokémon_ _, but mom says I can't use her to battle. She's fun to play with though, and she calms Lillie down when she gets upset. Do you still play with your_ _Meowth_ _a lot? I wonder if your mom would let you use him on your team when you get older._  

 _Sincerely,_  

 _Gladion_  

 

* * *

 

 _Dear_ _Gladion_ _,_  

 _Ugh, third grade is so hard! We have homework now, and I'm really bad at math. Sun makes fun of me for it, but he helps me too so that's nice of him. I can read a lot faster than him. I'm reading this really cool story about a boy who trains a_ _Dragonite_ _without a_ _Pokeball_ _and he saves his village. I can try to send it to you so you can borrow it, but my mom says it can cost a lot of money to send stuff all the way to_ _Alola_ _._  

 _And guess what? Surge came to my school!!! He talked to my class all about battling and being a gym leader, and he even answered my question! I asked him how he got to be so strong, and he said it takes a lot of hard work and trusting in your_ _Pokémon_ _, so that's what I'm_ _gonna_ _do. Then I asked him an extra question after class, and he said I could totally become the Champion!_  

 _I know you said you might become a scientist, but do you think you want to take on the league? It sounds like you would make a really good trainer. Maybe we can convince your parents to let you take on the Kanto league with me and we can travel together!_  

 _Love,_  

 _Moon_  

 _P.S. You should look up_ _Zoroark_ _, I think that'd be a great_ _Pokémon_ _for you to have._  

 _P.P.S. Love is shorter to write than sincerely, and I don't think it's_ _weird_ _so don't make it weird!_  

 

* * *

 

 _Dear Moon,_  

 _I think you're a better skateboarder than Sun, but don't tell him I said that. I'm glad he's not being so mean to you anymore, and I think it's cool that you're going to travel together!_  

 _Lillie is six now, and she really likes Ice and Fairy types._ _Clefairy_ _is still her best friend, but there's a girl named Mallow at school who she hangs out_ _with_ _a lot. She's also friends with this kid named_ _Hau_ _._ _Hau's_ _a little annoying, but his grandfather is the kahuna, so he knows a lot about Pokémon. He really likes malasadas, too._  

 _Aether_ _Paradise just got a bunch of_ _Corsola_ _to take care of today. My dad let me watch all the scientists help heal them, and he says they're_ _gonna_ _rehabily_ _rehabilitate them. That means they heal them, and then when they're all better the_ _Corsola_ _get to go back to the wild. I'll try and take pictures, but it's hard when_ _Faba_ _is there. He's the worst._  

 _Can you believe it's been almost two years since we first became pen pals? It sounds crazy to me._  

 _Love,_  

 _Gladion_  

 

* * *

 

 _Dear_ _Gladion_ _,_  

 _My mom showed me her old surfboard today! I took a photo of it because it's so pretty. Do you know how to surf? If not, you should learn, after you recover from your sunburn. You're so pale, it's kind of funny. Don't worry, I'm not laughing at you, I just think that it's funny to live in such a sunny place and get burned so easily!_  

 _I'm glad you and_ _Hau_ _are becoming friends. I had a feeling you'd be better at video games, but I think I could beat you if I tried! When you finally get to visit Kanto, we'll have a tournament. Sun doesn't like video games, but he agreed to referee and make sure neither of us cheat._  

 _My mom says I can get my starter after I graduate fifth grade, but that I can't start my journey until I graduate high school! That's so far away!!! I think it's really unfair, but I have to admit, I'm sort of nervous too. What if I'm not as good at battling as I think I will be?_  

 _But I think if you keep working hard to become a scientist, and I keep working hard to become the Champion, then I can do it. Promise me that you'll take over_ _Aether_ _and be the best president ever if I take on the_ _league_ _and become Champion?_  

 _Love,_  

 _Moon_  

 

* * *

 

He doesn't realize that the last letter he sends her will be his last before he falls out of contact. 

How could he have known his father would disappear – that his mother would disappear, too, in a way? 

 

* * *

 

 _Dear Moon,_  

 _I think it's_ _kinda_ _cool that you guys don't evolve your_ _Meowth_ _. I don't know if we'll ever evolve_ _Clefairy_ _, but mom says she's not really a battling Pokémon so probably not._ _I think I have my entire team figured out, thanks to you! Once my parents let me start training, I’m definitely taking on the Battle Royal._  

 _You know I can't tell you the research my parents do! Even I don't know that. They say when I'm older I can help them, but that I have to focus on school and leave the work to them._ _Lilllie_ _isn't as interested, but she really likes playing with the_ _Pokémon_ _we care for, so maybe she'll be a trainer when she grows up._  

 _I'm really sorry kids are being mean to you. I don't think I told you this, but I actually think you're really cool. You're one of my best friends, and anyone who doesn't want to hang out with you is dumb. I don't know if it means much, but you're one of the funnies_ _t_ _and smartest_ _people_ _I know. Everyone else will see it too, especially once you become a trainer and blow them all out of the water._  

 _Love,_  

 _Gladion_  

 _P.S. I'm still keeping my promise, so you better be working hard to become the Champion!_  

 

* * *

 

The years pass. He grows up quickly, running away from home and joining Team Skull. He makes unlikely friends and allies as he realizes he must stop his mother, and when the dust finally settles, Gladion tries not to feel like he's been robbed of his childhood. 

When that feeling does crop up, he takes out a box of letters and a smaller box of photos and looks through them, wondering whatever happened to Moon over in Kanto, and if she ever misses him the way he misses her, in small doses and in the form of questions. 

At one point, he entertains the idea of writing, of sending a letter to her old address just to see what will happen. 

But he puts the boxes away and gets ready for another day of work, because Aether isn't going to run itself. 

 

* * *

 

"Cousin, can I ask a  _huge_  favor?" 

Gladion raises a brow, looking up from the paperwork on his desk to the young trial captain standing before him. Hau's had several growth spurts over the years (and it still irks Gladion that the formerly short boy is now an inch taller than him) but he retains that same smile, even when he uses it to try and butter others up. 

"Depends what it is." 

Hau sighs, explaining, "I've spread myself way too thin for this conference, Glad. I promised the Kanto Champion that I'd pick her up from the airport, but that's at the same time as a meeting I have with the other trial captains, so..." 

He bats his lashes, causing Gladion to snort. "Fine, I'll do it." 

"Great because I already told her you were going to pick her up." 

Gladion fixes him with a deadpan glare as Hau laughs. Rolling his eyes, the Aether president asks, "What's her name?" 

"Moon." 

His heart stops. 

 

* * *

 

Her flight is on time. 

Gladion scans the crowd, still wracking his mind for what he could possibly say. 

Should he apologize for falling out of contact, or just try and explain everything that happened? Is it weird to ask about her brother? Would challenging her to a battle, like they always said they would, be inappropriate? Would he even recognize her? 

But he recognizes her almost immediately. 

She's not quite the same young girl in the photos. Her freckles have multiplied, and her hair is longer. He spots a tattoo on her arm and a scar on her cheek, and a whole new round of questions pop up in his mind. 

The gleam in her gray eyes is the same, however, and the smile when she sees him is no longer missing two front teeth, but it's twice as brilliant in person and makes his heart stammer for a moment. 

She hugs him, catching him off guard and causing him to stumble a step back before he wraps his arms around her with a laugh. When she pulls back, he can see her eyes finding the ways he's changed, from his height to the piercings that line his ears. "We have a lot to catch up on," she says, stepping back with a lopsided smile. 

"Definitely." He nearly feels like pinching himself, wondering if he ever really thought he'd get to meet her, and when she's actually become Champion, no less. "I see you kept your promise." 

"And you kept yours." Her smile softens, and she gladly takes the arm that he offers as they begin to walk out of the airport and towards his car. As they wait to cross the street, she sizes him up with an impish smirk. "But I do have one question." 

"Shoot." 

"Do you still like broccoli?" 

He laughs, and unable to help himself he pulls her into a hug – Arceus, he's missed her, and it's odd to miss someone who was so important to him only to never see her until now. 

"Yes," he tells her, mumbling into her hair, "I do." 

She grins, giving him a wink as she whispers, "You're weird, but it's okay. We can still be friends." 

And he's glad to hear it. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the fifth prompt of Lonashipping Week 2018, "Childhood Friends." For those wondering, yes, Moon did learn how to skateboard.


End file.
